Media and politics 2017

1. Media and Politics Fall 2017
2.2. Hate and conspiracy
Quiz from seminar 10. November

2. 1. Describe «conspiracy theory» and what is meant by
«conspiracy culture being embedded in modernization»

3. “Conspiracy theory” attempts to explain some event or practice -
by reference to the machinations of powerful people - who
attempt to conceal their role.
It may turn out to be true or false but is never rational, more a
matter of belief/disbelief.
“Conspiracy culture” is the widespread distrust in established
institutions and “truths” – and paranoid theories about the secret
enemies of common citizens.
“Conspiracy theories” are strategies to rationalize anxieties by
developing explicable accounts for seemingly inexplicable forces in
a confusing modern, globalized society. Modern media facilitates
the spread of such theories and alternative truths.

4. 2. What is a «media template» - and «the Holocaust media
template»?

5. It refers to how the media interpret and frame current (or
even reframe past) events, using former key events in the past
as models/schemata.
The Holocaust template is an example of a past key event
being recast as a template for interpreting and framing
“genocide” in the future.
It therefore is used as a comparison to recognize and interpret
other events as genocide – or not – and eventually what
should be done about it.

6. 3. How can genocides be pre-mediated and post-mediated?

7. Premediation of genocides refers to the use of existing
“schemata” (or genocide templates) to interpret a current
violent process.
Postmediation refers to the interpretation “after the fact” of
what happened, why it happened and what could/should be
done about it.
As such it might therefore lead to change in existing templates
and contribute to the premediation of future events.

8. 4. Mention some reasons why conspiracy theories are so
difficult to deal with

9.  Being non-rational; there is little counterevidence that can
falsify them in the eyes of the believers.
 Counter speech – or silence - from opponents are taken as
“evidence” of the conspiracy.
 Tough opposition, infiltration or surveillance strengthens
the conviction further and may even lead to more extreme
views within the group.
 They have a competitive advantage by offering
“explanations” of events as results of the intended action
of conspirators, while in real life they are the results of
coincidence or “system errors”

10. 5. How does Shaw (in Hoskins) explain the problem of
recognizing a genocide?

11. The common understanding of genocide focuses on the tragic
end result: The completion of the destruction of life. Instead
genocide should be seen as a destructive process:
 The identification of a social group as an enemy against
which it is justified to use systematic physical violence.
 The intention to destroy the real or imputed power of the
enemy group, including its ability to resist.
 The actual deployment of violence to destroy the power of
the enemy group through killing and physically harming.